How have universities injected innovation into your research in social impact areas? How do university collaborate globally with academia, governments, multinationals, and non-profit organisations in social impact research? How do university maintain a sustainable campus both in teaching and in campus operations?

These three core questions towards innovation, globalisation, and sustainability were the focus of the 16 University Presidents and Vice Chancellors who assembled at AIT to share their prescient thoughts at the Presidents’ Forum held on 24 October 2019. As the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) celebrates sixty years of existence, it realizes that tectonic shifts in the field of higher education.

From the small batch of students who began studying engineering in a quaint corner of Bangkok in 1959, over the past six decades, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) has emerged as a premier international institution, focusing on engineering, environment, and management.

The AIT Entrepreneurship Center has been launched to equip students and faculty with the spirit of innovation and start-ups

The AIT Entrepreneurship Center was launched at the “100 Innovations X Entrepreneurs” conference on 27 September 2019 organized by AIT. The Entrepreneurship Center is envisioned to be a place for incubating young entrepreneurs and providing them with entrepreneurial and innovative capabilities for sustainable development.

Dr. Eden Y Woon joined AIT as President on September 1, 2018. It has been slightly over one year since he took over the reins. AIT’s Office of Public Affairs is pleased to share a Question and Answer session with President Woon.

1.  What did you want to accomplish when you came to AIT a year ago?

I consider the start of my tenure at AIT last September to be the beginning of AIT 3.0 – with AIT 1.0 being the first few decades after our founding in 1959, when we had more widespread support and engagement, and AIT 2.0 being the past two decades or so when resources became more constrained and various issues limited the growth of the institute.

Prominent alumnus and a major donor to AIT, Dr. Yanyong Phataralaoha (IE&M ’86), Managing Director, Thai Pipe Industry Company Limited presented the donation cheque to AIT President, Dr. Eden Y. Woon as a continuation of his support to the 60th Anniversary Fundraising Campaign towards Student Exchange Scholarship Program and Updating of Student Village 1—where his future wife lived while studying at AIT. He was accompanied by his wife, Mrs.

This year is the 60th Anniversary of AIT.  We are celebrating all year with a number of events sprinkled throughout.  The highlight of the celebrations will be during October 23-25.

The three days start off on October 23 with the AITAA’s 48th Governing Board Meeting hosted by the Thai chapter.

Ms. Babita Sharma, Masters student from Nepal in the School of Management, is the first winner of the Lawsgroup Charity Student Exchange Scholarship. She (see photo) is granted half of her expenses during her exchange program to Tsinghua University, China from September 2019 to January 2020.

The Lawsgroup Charity of Hong Kong is the third donor to support AITs Exchange Scholarship Program.

Mr. Russell Bruce Rein joined AIT as Vice President for Administration (VPA) on May 1, 2019. He has served as Head of Business Services and Director of Operations with the International Schools Group, Jubail, Saudi Arabia and formerly performed the same role at the United Arab Emirates University and the American University of Phnom Penh.

Open innovation is more effective in emerging markets compared to developed markets. This is particularly true in firms and organizations that lack sufficient technical knowledge. However, employees in firms in emerging markets appear to search broadly but not deeply across external knowledge sources, which risks reducing their innovative output.

For the 400-plus students hailing from 32 countries who are making the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) their new home, Institute President Dr. Eden Y. Woon had a fresh and welcoming message: “Take Advantage of New Opportunities at AIT.”

As the Institute celebrates 60 years of existence, it is transforming itself, and this transformation is bringing new opportunities for AIT students, with the Edmond Yue Exchange Scholarship Program being one such initiative.